Gas analyzing apparatus



A. F. sPrrzGLAss ET 2,128,381

GAS ANALYZ ING A APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5,1956 5 Sheets-SheetI 1 Aug. 30, 1938.

A. F. SPITZGLASS ET AL GAS ANALYZING APFARATUS Filed Feb. 5, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /Geofge WGrsdaZe y maan/wy# Attorneys Aug.j30, 1938. v l A. F. jsPlTzGLAss ET A1. '2,128,381

GAS ANALYZING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5, 1936 s sheets-sheet 5 Patented Aug. 3o, 193s 2,128,381

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,128,381 GAS ANALYZING APPARATUS Albert F. Spitzglass and George W.' Grisdale, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Republic Flow Meters Coinpany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinols Application February 5, 1936, Serial No. 62,420 s claims. (c1. .2t-.256)

This invention relates to apparatus for treatsure that the measurement is always at the same ing gases with liquid reagents and the like, as gas pressure.

agent such as sodium or potassium hydroxide so- The above and other objects and features of lution. the invention, including various novel construc- 10 An object of the invention is to provide an aptions and desirable arrangements, will be apparperature fluctuations, in which the gas (both bedrawings, in which:

fore and after treatment by the reagent) is at Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections, at right 15 room temperature and at atmospheric pressure angles to each other, of a CO2 recorder, with most so that no correctlons are necessary, and which of the parts ppearing in elevation;

preferably has the gas analyzing devices arranged Figure 3 iS e Sectional diagram, With the Variin a readily removable unit to facihtate cahbra- 011s Darts ShOWn Side by Slde t0 feellltate an 11ntion and repair. derstanding of their co-operative action; 20 One important feature of the invention relates Figure 4 is a partial section showing the penof heat exchanger submerged in the reagent. Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views of the one- 25 pheric pressure, to a novel sampling device which sitions; and

is preferably arranged above the reagent, and Figures 9 and 10 are sections on the line 9-9 which measures off denite quantities of the gas of Figure 3 showing the gas-measuring means for treatment by the reagent. This device in itrespectively attached and detached. 30

Self embOdeS Substantial HOVelY, especially in The instrument illustrated comprises a panel the arrangement of a vertically reciprocated conor complete or partial outer casing I0 supporting temer WhlCh meesllles Off the ges and WhCh S at its upper end avertical motor l2 driving a gear serves the purpose 0f a Simple and effective pump shown with ller means I5 for nlling with oil 35 irltO and through the reagent, Which eCS 0n them device i4 drives an operating shaft I6 having to absorb the CO2 Content The gas-measuring at one end an arm I8 connected by a vertical container is shown carried by a novel head which link 20 t0 a gas-measuring device hereinafter is provided with improved one-way valve means described 40 t0 Contr 01 the 50W 0f the gas The other end of the shaft I6 carries a double in the reagent, and WhiCll delivers gesfat etmOS- operate a seal for the discharge of the final gas 45 e after treatment by the hydroxide bath or other unit I4. Its lower end is operated, as hereinafter 50 gear pump 34 (Figure 3) in an auxiliary casing 36 (Figure l) which acts to draw ue gases, or other gases to be analyzed, through a conduit 38 (having a glass vessel 40 partly lled with water, to give a visual indication, if desired) from any desired source of such gases. Condensed moisture drips down into and overflows from, a pipe 4| bent to provide a seal or trap at its lower end. The gases pass from the pump into the upper part of a container42 provided with 44, which is filled oil.

Passages 46 and 48 may be provided into the container 42, also, from the conduit 38Hand the neutral point of the 34, opening below the normal level of the oil in container 42. This serves to circulate oil through the pump, to seal it. The container 42 may have suitable ller means 50.

The gases next pass through a conduit 52"and,

according to an important feature ofthe invention, pass through a heat exchange device (illustrated as a coil 54 forming a continuationvofV the conduit) submerged in a liquid reagent 56 in a reservoir 58.

As explained below, in analyzing flue gases for CO2 content, this reagent would be a solution of caustic potash or soda. The amount of this reagent and the size of the container or reservoir 58 are such that heat is dissipated into the room a fast as it is aborbed from the yflue gases, thus reducing the gases substantially to room temperature at all times.

The coil 54 opens at its end into a vertical tube 69 substantially at its center. The lower end of the tube 66 passes through and is sealed to the bottom of the reservoir 58, and opens outside' the reservoir, to discharge excess flue gases from the instrument, and to insure that gases withdrawn for analysis are at atmospheric pressure. The upper end of the tube 60 opens above the level of the reagent 56, and maintains the interior of the reservoir 58 at atmospheric pressure.

Mounted on the lower end of the reciprocating connecting rod 20 is a pivot 62 (Figures 9 andl 10) adapted to seat in a bearing opening 64 formed 'in a cast part 66 brazed or soldered to the upper end of a hollow vertical tube 68 sliding in an opening in the top of the reservoir 58. The part 66 is formed with a passage 10 which is normally closed by a screw 12 which locks the pivot in place.

Thus detaching the tube 68 from the rod 20 involves removing screw 12 which, as shown in-Figure 10, automatically insures that at that time the interior of the tube 68 is at atmospheric pressure, and there is no danger of suckingany of the reagent 56 up into the tube.

The tube 68 is sealed into a novel head\14, of non-corrosive material such as one of the syn-r thetic resins, with an opening in its side in registry with a passage 16 formed in the head... The lower end of the tube 68 opens into, and is sealed to the upper end oi, an open-bottom container 18, of synthetic resin or the like. v

The container 18 which forms the measuring chamber o the sampling device dips into, and at all times has its lower end sealed by, a body of mercury 89 contained in a vessel y82 which is mostly submerged in the reagent 56 to keep the mercury cool, but which of course opens well above the level of the reagent. The vessel 82 is supported by having one side extended upwardly and secured to the top of the reservoir 58.; l

A vertical tube 84 is sealed into the bottom of the vessel 82, and is arranged at its upper' end a drain plug 1 to a. predetermined level withVA passages telescopically within the lower end of the tube 68. The tube 84 is substantially smaller in diameter than the tube 68, and o course is also considerably smaller in diameter than the opening in the bottom of the container 18.

The head 14 also has sealed thereto at its upper end a vertical tube 86, enough smaller in diameter than the vtube 60 to provide a substantial clearance therebetween, and which projects into and forms in eiect a telescoping connection therewith. The clearance insures that the reser- Voir 56 is always at atmospheric pressure.

The tube 86 opens at its upper end into a passage '88 having as a continuation thereof a verti- 'cal open tube 96 (Figures 7 and 8) surrounded by a well of mercury 92. The well of mercury 92 is a space which communicates with the passage 16, and it contains a one-way valve in the form of a very lightcup-shaped member 94, inverted over the end ofthe tube 96, and guided by means such as pins 96 so thatits lower edge can dip into the mercury 92. y y

When the member 94 is in the position of Figures 5, 6, and '1, the gas passes freely from passage 88 to thepassage 16without passing through the When themember 94 is in the position of Figures 3 and 8, with its lower edgedipping into the mercury 92, communication between passages 88 and 16 is cut oi. As passage 88 is always at atmospheric pressure, and as member 94 if is very light, a` slight suction in passage 16 is sufficient to open the valve.

Also, to insure a minimum of reaction of the gases on the mercury 92, as shown best in Figure 8, the member 94 is very slightly larger than tube 90, and has a considerable area subject to suction in passage 16, so that while there is a considerable height of mercury sealing the valve whenclosed, as inl FigureV 8, the-valve neverthelessv opensA so quickly that there is substantially no tendency` for the gas tobubble through the mercury.

n Assuming a point in the cycle illustrated in Figure 3, with the container 18 full of mercury'and valve 94 closed, the

not subject to substantial variations due to temperature and rpressure diierences.

Figure 6 shows the end ofA the upward stroke, with a full charge `of gas measured off. On the down stroke the valve` 94 closes the instant the pressure'in passage 16 rises to atmospheric prese sure, i. e. practically Iinstantly at the end of the stroke, and thev mercury 89 forces the measured charge of gas out through the bottom of tube 6ft.

Tube 84 exhausts the gas, past a'weightedlever 98 forming in effect a one-way valve, into the lower end ofan upwardly-inclined tube m9, shown as square in cross-section. rThe part of the lever 98 which normally closes the lower end oi the tube 84 is 1 provided with a relatively small opening which cooperates with the edge to break the stream oi gas up into'a large number of small bubbles, to give a large surface acted on by the reagent. f

The gas passes up the tube charged into-the lower end oi avertical tube 102,

rod 28 reciprocates upwardly as illustratedin Figure 5, causing a reduced presesv opening at its lower end in the reagent 56 and having its closed upper end well above the level of the reagent 56. |02 is shown square square tube |02 of course contain reagent, which acts to absorb the CO2, so that the gas passing into the tube |04 is the measured quantity of flue gas, minus its CO2 content.

around the round tube |04. and allows it to discharge at the lower end of the tube |22. Thus the tube |09 and the tube |02 in eiTect form a tubular system immersed in the reagent and through above the reservoir. The position of the head |14 is thus dependent. at the end of each cycle when the residual gas is in the bell Hi8. on the proportion of CO2 to unabsorbed residual gases.

At this point in the cycle, cam lever 22 rocks the lever 30 to r ease (against the resistance ofa in bell |08, as the case may be, to give the pen |22 the proper new setting. v

pen |22 cooperates with a chart |28 (Fiere ure 2) driven by a clock mechanism |30, and

to the face of the panel ||J.

It will be noted from Figure 4 that rib 32 and in the arm U8. As soon as the pin |22 takes up its new oosition. as described above, the further movement ofthe cam arm 22 permits spring H5 to clamp the arm ||8 (and therefore the pen |22) in the new position until the next cycle.

In order that variations'in the level of the reagent 5S may notI aiect the positioning of the bell After the pen |22 is clamped in its new position, further rotation of the shaft |6 rocks the arm 24 to lower the connecting rod 28. On the lower end ways filled to the same level, regardless of variations in the level of the reagent 56.

'Ihe lowering of the cup |44 unseals pipe 6U and through any clearances that may exist where parts 52, 68, 28, and H0 pass through the top of the reservoir.

Before the next charge the cup |44 of gas is emptied into is again lifted to seal |44 is always lled to the same level, any back pressure on the bell |58 is always the same, and can be calibrated convenience of repair and In operation, the instrument follows a regular appended claims.

We claim:

1. An instrument comprising a source of supply of gas, for a liquid reagent, a

way gas-controlling valve means so that gas is drawn into the container past the valve means when the head is lifted to withdraw the container from the mercury and is forced by the mercury from the container down through said tube when the container is forced downwardly into the mercury.

3. A gas analyzer comprising a reservoir containing a liquid reagent, a stationary vessel open at its top and containing mercury and which is mainly submerged 1n the reagent to cool the mercury but the open top of which is above the surface of the reagent and which has a tube extend ing vertically through the mercury and through the bottom of the vessel and joined tol said bottom by a mercury-tight joint and which opens at its lower end in said reagent, a vertically reciprocating head including a depending open-bottom gas container with its top provided with means forming a telescoping joint with the upper portion of said vertically-extending tube, said telescoping joint having a substantial clearance sothat gas may pass into and out of said container around said tube, said head having one-way gas-controlling valve means so that gas is drawn into the container past the valve means when the head is lifted to withdraw the container from the mercury and is forced by the mercury from the container down through said tube when the container is forced downwardly into the mercury, anupwardly inclined guide submerged in and filled by the reagent and into the lower end of which the bottom of said tube opens, and a device receiving the treated gas from the upper end of said guide and determining a characteristic thereof.

4. A gas measuring device for use in an instrument comprising a reciprocable head having depending therefrom a gas intake tube and an openbottomed gas measuring container, and having a passage leading from the tube to the interior of the container and which is provided with a oneway valve controlling said passage, said valve including an upwardly opening tube having a well of mercury surrounding its base, together with a cup-shaped member inverted over said tube with the lower edge of its wall dipping into the mercury in said well.

5. Gas treating apparatus comprising a reservoir containing liquid, a liquid containing well in the reservoir, a gas-measuring bell dipping into the liquid in the well, sampling means for periodically discharging into said bell quantities of gas to be measured, exhaust means for the gas having an inlet tube projecting upwardly into said bell and opening therein 'above the level of the liquid in the well and having an outlet tube with its end facing downwardly above the level of the liquid in the reservoir, a vertically reciprocated cup and means operated synchronously with the sampling means to lower the cup into the liquid in the reservoir to be filled thereby to a predetermined level and at the same time to leave said downwardly facing end of the outlet tube unobstructed while exhausting gas which has been measured and to be raised to seal said end in the liquid in the cup while supplying the said gas to be measured, said sealing liquid always rising to the same level in said tube.

6. Gas analyzing apparatus comprising a reservoir containinga reagent, an upwardly sloping tube immersed in and filled by said reagent, an upright tube connected to the upper end of the sloping tube and having its lower end terminating below thereagent level and its upper end above the reagent level, sampling means to discharge a measured quantity of gas to be analyzed into said sloping tube adjacent the lower end thereof so that gas rising through the sloping tube into the upper part of the upright tube causes circulation of reagent from the reservoir through the sloping tube and back to the reservoir through the lower end of the upright tube and means connected to the upper end of the upright tube to measure the gas rising therethrough.

ALBERT F. SPITZGLASS, GEORGE W. GRISDALE. 

